Glass tube bottoming machine



May 10, 1949. Q COBY GLASS TUBE BOTTOMING MACHINE Filed May 27, 1945 25Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR @eo/95e fat? BY @bn/M ATTORN EYSv,uufllllllllflllffllfllz i l E I A E i I l I I i n i n n liv G. COBYGLASS TUBE BOTTOMING-MACHINE May 10, 1949.

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GLASS TUB BOTTOMNG MACHINE Filed May 27, 1943 3 4sheets-sheet 3 kb i 4INVENTOR BWWKRQQW Patented May 10, 1949 GLASS TUBE BOTTOMING MACHINEGeorge Coby, Attleboro, Mass., assigner of forty per cent to James V.Pugliese, Providence, R. I.

Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 488,671

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the shaping of tubular bodiesof a plastic materialy such as glass which may be heated to a state ofplasticity. More particularly the machine deals with the forming of abottom upon a glass tube or vial.

Heretoiore, in the shaping of glass bodies or the bottoming of a glasstube or vial it has been usual to position the tube either in ahorizontal position or in a position such that closing takes place atthe lower end of the tube, which enables the glass to stretch out andmaintain itself in a desirable thin condition. In other instances someassistance to the shaping of the tube is provided either by causing thetube to vengage the properly shaped surface or stopping the machine andmolding the work while in a stationary position. Each of theseperformances has certain undesirable results particularly the slowaction or slow movement of the work in the machine.

construction and without the necessity of pre- .cision functioning ofthe parts.

Another object of this invention is to accomplish a rotation of carriersfor the work at the same time that they are travelling through themachine with inexpensive operating parts and avoiding the necessity ofprecision operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine in which thedesired shaping oi a glass. tube or placing of a bottom on this tubemaybe effected during a continuous movement of the body being shapedalong a denite path of travel.

Another object of this invention is to seal the upper end of a tubewhile travelling in a vertical position, in which position the upper endof the tube is readily exposed to view by the operator.

Another object of this invention is to control the thickness of thebottom of the tube while formed with the bottom upwardly and prevent thebottom from becoming unduly thick with consequent strain in the glass.

Another object of this invention is to provide inv one continuousmovement of the body to be operated on, the heating and closing of theend of the body, the shaping of the end of the body, .the reheating andvannealing of the end of the body, and the discharge upon a conveyorbelt, all without the necessity of manual manipulation, it being merelynecessary to feed the body into. they machine at one end..

With these and other objects in View, the invention con-sists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially centrallythrough the machine along line l--l oi Fig. 4 illustrating the essentialoperating parts of the machine while omitting certain parts for the sakeof clearness;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mid portion of the machine takensubstantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig.2 illustrating the supply end of the machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section at the shaping stage of themachine taken substantially at line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are diagrammatic views in section illustratingdifferent stages of operation upon the work;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the re-heating and annealing portionof the device taken substantially along line 8--8 of Fig. 1 showing thetube in elevation after closed;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic sectional view illustrating a modiiied form ofholding means engaging the work; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentalplan view of the showing of Fig. 9.

In proceeding with this invention I provide a travelling belt whichwillhave its upper and lower spans in substantially horizontal planes.The belt will travel about spaced drums or pulleys which will bearranged to rotate about horizontal axes. At spaced locations along thebelt and in tandem relation are provided carriers each equipped toreceive one tube to be operated upon, the .tube being loaded manuallyfrom a conveniently located container which holds a supply of the work.As the work travels the carrier is rotatedv and heat is supplied to theupper end of the tube to plasticize the same andy cause the plasticl endto ilow inwardly to close the upper end of the tube. Means are providedto blow air into the lower end of the tube to shape the bottom andatthesame time hold the tube from being dischargedV from its carrier,after which the tube is annealed by re-heating and cooling gradually andthen discharged onto a conveyor belt for inspection and packaging. Thegas, andA air supplies and the drive of the machine are showndiagrammatically or indi.- cated generallyl as these are knownstructures and perform their own functions.

In' 1 there isdesignated. generallya sup'- porting frame work I5 havingsupporting legs i6 fragmentally shown which framework supports spacedpulleys |1 at one end and |8 at the other end over which there travels abelt I9 of endless formation. Each of these pulleys I1 and I8 aregrooved as at 20 for the reception of a part of the carrier designatedgenerally 2| which is fixed to the belt.

This carrier is shown in greater detail in Fig. 4, which illustrates abase 22 secured to the belt I9 by bolts 23 having nuts 24 thereon. Thebase has an opening 25 therein which registers with an opening 26 in thebelt for the reception of the reduced portion 21 of the work container28 for carrying the tubular work 29. A shoulder 30 is formed by thisreduced portion 21 against which the gear 3| abuts and which is held tothis portion 21 by set screw 32. Portion 21 below the gear extendsthrough the registering openings 25 and 26 and is held to the belt by acollar 33 and set screw 34 in such amanner that rotation by means of thegear 3| may be had in the base 22 as a bearing. The container recess orbore 35 which receives the work 29 joins a small bore 36 extendingaxially through the reduced portion 21. This portion which projectsbelow the belt is accommodated in the groove 2U of the pulley.

Drum I8 is driven through a suitable shaft 31 and pulley 38 which latteris engaged by a drive belt for rotating the same.

The conveyor belt i9 travels over roller` supports 48 which arerotatably mounted on stub shafts 4| projecting inwardly from thedepending brackets rails 42 of the frame and are held in place by nuts43 engaging these brackets. The lower span of the belt is supported byinwardly projecting tracks 44 which are mounted on the framework bybolts 45 and spacer elements 46 so that the tracks engage the belt as itmoves from the discharge end of the machine toward the supply end of themachine for further loading.

A hopper 41 contains a supply of the work to be operated upon such forinstance as the open ended tube shown in Fig. 5. The operator will pickfrom this hopper a tube and place it into one of the bores 3-5 of thecarrier part 28 as shown at 48 in Fig. l and the tube will advancethrough the machine in a position extending beyond the upper edge of thecontainer 28. As the tube travels through the machine, flexible arms 49,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, engage the gear or projections on the part 3|of the carrier to cause a step by step rotation of the carrier as itmoves through the machine.

Gas pipes 58 are oppositely disposed on either side of the upper end ofthe tube which projects above the carrier container 28. These gas supplytubes with openings 52 therein through which gas is emitted and islighted so that iiames 53 are projected toward the tube 5| as shown inFig. 5 which commences to heat the tube as it initially starts into themachine. Gas pipes 54 having burners 55 secured thereto are oppositelylocated at a second stage and supply greater heat to the tube 5| andcause a melting of the glass at the upper end which causes this glass asat 56 (see Fig. 6) to ow inwardly as shown at 51 in Fig. 7 to completelyclose the end of the tube.

Just after the glass closes the end of the tube, the tube is at aposition where from a common supply 58 (see Fig. l) air jet nozzles 59cause air to be passed up through the openings 36, as shown in Fig. 4,into the tube as illustrated in Fig. 1. This air causes the bottom 45lto arch upwardly and become somewhat thinner than when initially formedso that the thickness is substantially the same as that of the sidewalls of the tube 5|. The' air is supplied through the pipes 58 from anysuitable compressor operating continuously. Thus, as the carriers moveover the jets 59 some air will be passed up through the opening 36 asthe opening comes into registry with the various jets 59 spaced alongthe tube 58 and thereby supply suicient air for this shaping purpose.

The tube is then permitted to cool as it passes a short distance whereno heat is applied after which it again enters a heating chamberdesignated generally 68. This chamber consists of some heat insulatingcovering such as asbestos with gas supply pipes 6| extending thereintoand equipped with openings to project a gas flame 62 toward the work toreheat the tube and then permit it to gradually cool in this oven-likearrangement of cover over the tube which continues its traveltherethrough.

When the tube emerges from this annealing oven it further cools in theopen air at room temperature and is discharged as the carrier intravelling around the pulley I8 tilts from an upright to an invertedposition. A guard B5 may engage the end of the tube to control itsdropping position. A travelling conveyor belt 66 will receive thedischarge tube and carry it to the desired point. This conveyor consistsof a drum 61 driven by a pulley 68 and will permit of inspection of thetube as it travels along the conveyor for discharge into a suitablepackage for the purpose.

In order to prevent the air which is forced up through the carrier andinto the tube from dislodging the tube from the carrier, a plurality ofexible iingers 69 are mounted along the path of travel of the tube sothat the tube will engage these lingers and `be pressed against thecontainer 28 so as to hold it in position. These fingers will engage thetube throughout the travel of the tube along the blowing means. In somecases, instead of using a flexible linger such as shown at 69, I maymount a block 10 (see Figs. 9 and 10) having a series of plungers 1|each operating in a bore 12 and urged by spring 13 so that the resilientor soft face 14 will press against each of the tubes as it aligns withthe blower nozzle sovas to press it firmly against the side of thecontainer 28 of the carrier and prevent it from being moved upwardly byair pressure which is supplied for shaping.

I claim:

l. In a machine for closing the end of a tubular glass body, means formoving the tube in a vertical position along a substantially straightpath, units positioned adjacent to said path for providing a zone ofheat into which the upper end of the tube travels for softening the endthereof suiiciently to cause the same to iiow inwardly and close the endof the tube and means positioned below the tube and in line with thepath of travel thereof for discharging air under pressure into the tubeWhile moving to shape the closed end of the tube while in a moldablecondition, said air pressure being the only means for shaping thesoftened end portion of the tube.

2. In a machine for closing the end of a tubular glass body, a carrierfor the tube, means for supporting the tube in a vertical position inthe carrier, means for moving the carrier along a substantially straightpath, means to rotate the carrier as advanced in said path, heatingunits positioned adjacent to said path for providing a zone of heat intowhich the upper end of the tube travels for softening the end thereofsufficiently to cause the same to flow inwardly and close the end of thetube and means positioned below the 5 tube and in line with the path oftravel thereof for discharging air under pressure into the tube Whilemoving to shape the closed end of the tube while in a moldablecondition, said air pressure being the only means for shaping thesoftened end portion of the tube.

3. In a machine for closing the end of a tubular glass body, means formoving the tube in a vertical position along a substantially straightpath, oppositely disposed heating units on either side of the path oftravel of the tube for heating the upper end of the tube suiciently tocause the end thereof to flow inwardly and close the end of the tube andmeans positioned below the tube and in line with the path of travelthereof for discharging air under pressure into the tube while moving toshape the closed end of the tube While in a moldable condition, said airpressure being the only means for shaping the softened end portion ofthe tube.

4. In a machine as defined in claim 2 in which the carrier is mounted ona travelling belt, means for engaging the carrier and rotating the samerelative to said belt as the carrier is advanced.

5. In a machine for closing the end of a tubular glass body, means forclosing the end of the tube including a carrier for holding the body invertical position, a travelling endless belt upon which said carrier ismounted, said carrier and belt having registering vertical openingsthrough which air may be discharged into said tube and means positionedbetween the belt and in line with the path of travel of the opening todischarge air through said openings while said carrier is moving.

6. In a machine as dened in claim 1 in which means are provided forengaging said tube and preventing lifting of the same by the airdischarged thereinto.

7. In a machine for closing the end of a tubular glass body, a carrierfor holding the body in vertical position, a travelling belt upon whichsaid carrier is mounted, heating units adjacent said belt and at alocation for softening the upper end portion of the tube suiciently tocause the same to flow inwardly to close the end of the tube, saidcarrier and belt having registering vertical openings through which airunder pressure may be discharged into said tube to shape the closed endthereof, means positioned below said carrier and in line with the pathof travel of said opening to discharge air therethrough into said tubeWhile moving, and means for engaging said tube and preventing lifting ofthe same by the air discharged thereinto.

8. In a machine as dened in claim 7 in which flexible fingers areprovided engaging the tube for preventing lifting of the same by the airdischarged thereinto.

GEORGE COBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 834,275 Dorer Oct. 30, 1906854,836 Owens May 28, 1907 1,135,640 Watson Apr. 13, 1915 1,566,563 RossDec. 22, 1925 1,577,581 Knight Mar. 23, 1926 1,832,039 Millar Nov. 17,1931 1,838,161 Soubier Dec. 29, 1931 1,859,011 Wales May 17, 19321,967,603 Zimber July 24, 1934 2,146,572 Hahn et al Feb. 7, 19392,151,191 Crane et al Mar. 21, 1939 2,266,417 Eisler Dec. 16, 19412,301,940 Fries Nov. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date282,057 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1928 488,710 France July 16, 1918

